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About the Program

The Department of Media, Journalism and Film in the Cathy Hughes School of Communications hosts the Multicultural Media Academy each summer. It provides a platform to teach high school students how to shoot video and audio, write news stories and increase media literacy in minority communities. For the past few years, the program has taught accepted scholars how to cover health disparities in the District of Columbia and the wider metropolitan region.

Our program teaches young voices how to verify facts, identify biases and produce ethical journalism — strengthening community voices who can critically engage with information, combating misinformation and disinformation.

The program adopted a virtual format during the recent pandemic but returned in 2024 to an in-person programming.

News stories produced during the two-week program are published by the Howard University News Service and distributed to Black press outlets across the country. Stories also appear on Voices of Tomorrow, named for the program’s previous newspaper.

The first director of the program was Wallace Terry, a journalist renowned for his coverage on the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. Past directors also include former School of Communications Department Chairs Dr. Barbara Hines and Dr. Yanick Rice Lamb.

About the Cathy Hughes School of Communications and the Department of Media, Journalism and Film

The Cathy Hughes School of Communications (CHSOC) is the third largest of Howard University’s 14 schools and colleges. For more than 50 years, the school has trained media and communication professionals through premier programs such as public relations, advertising, audio production, journalism, media management, film and television, legal communication, and communications graduate programs. CHSOC graduates are known at the local, national and global levels for their leadership with and across diverse communities through communication research, professional practice, innovation, job creation, social justice, and service via cutting-edge knowledge, skills and technology.

Dean: Chukwuka Onwumechili, Ph.D.

Associate Dean: Tia Tyree, Ph.D.

The Department of Media, Journalism and Film prepares students for the dynamic media world of today and the future through a combination of core and specialized courses. Drawing from digital audio/radio, digital video/television, film production, scriptwriting, reporting, and broadcast (radio and television), as well as print, mobile, and online news, the department addresses current industry standards, trends in media convergence, and community needs while honoring Howard University’s historic mission.

Chair: Prof. Ingrid Sturgis, M.A., associate professor.